


There's a 25% chance it's mine

by trinipedia



Category: No Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-26
Updated: 2011-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-17 07:38:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,486
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9311837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trinipedia/pseuds/trinipedia
Summary: Jared is a successful single businessman who has long put his career ahead of a personal life. After his lifelong girlfriend dumps him for being secretly gay, he's finally determined to have a kid on his own, but his plan is thrown a curve ball after he discovers he has only a 25% chance of getting a girl pregnant. Undaunted, he allows Southern working girl Genevieve to carry his baby, but everything is turned upside down when his Baby Mama shows up at his doorstep with no place to live. An unstoppable force meets an immovable object as structured Jared tries to turn vibrant Genevieve into the perfect expectant mom. In a battle of wills, they will struggle their way through preparation for the baby's arrival and Jared's blossoming relationship with Jensen, an ex lawyer now owner of a local blended juice cafe. In the middle of this tug-of-war, they'll discover two kinds of family: the one you're born to and the one you make.





	1. Initiation

**Author's Note:**

> **Artist Name:** the incredible [](http://jennybliss.livejournal.com/profile)[jennybliss](http://jennybliss.livejournal.com/). Love ya! ART MASTERPOST
> 
>  **Beta:** not yet...it's Xmas XD  
>   
>  **Disclaimer:** Not mine in any way, shape or form. Based on the movie "Baby Mama", so if there's anything you think you recognize, I probably didn't write it. The title is an actual quote by Jared, I kid you not. ~~And then they wonder why we believe these marriages are scams~~

  
"So, I did everything that I was supposed to do: I kept my voice down during meetings, I didn't flirt or sleep with anyone at the office, I put up with the weird upper management guys that kiss you on the mouth at Christmas and then blame it on the open bar..."  
Jared trailed off, to munch on his half-rare steak before going on.  
"Is it fair that in order to maybe become the youngest VP in the history of my company I might end up being the oldest father in the history of ever?"  
Before the busty red-haired girl sitting on the other side of the table could answer, Jared just shrugged and kept talking.  
"Of course not, but that was part of the deal: I made a choice. Well, not really a choice, since my lifelong girlfriend wasn't really into that to begin with, but. You know what I mean, don't you, Danneel?"  
The girl nodded weakly, fiddling with her napkin.  
"I mean, some women got pregnant, she just didn't. But come on, I had to spend long hours at the office, to get those promotions! I didn't really feel like getting it on when I finally got home at 3 or 4 AM!"  
Some old guy from the table across theirs cleared his throat, and Jared realized that his voice had gotten a little too loud, so he flushed slightly and looked down at his plate.  
"And well, there's the whole issue of her thinking I'm secretly gay, but. That's not the point" he added, in a calmer tone.  
"Anyway, of course I still aspire to meet someone, fall in love and get married, but-I'm 29 already, and I want a baby now."  
Danneel blinked, eyebrows shot up to her hairline, as she opened and closed her mouth like a dying fish, unable to formulate a proper response.  
Jared groaned.  
"It's too much for a first date, isn't it? Fuck, I'm sorry, Danneel, I said too much" he cursed through gritted teeth.  
The girl shook her head, shakily, and stood up.  
"Gotta go-powder my nose" she blurted, before stepping away as quickly as her stilettos allowed her to.  
Jared sighed, staring out of the restaurant's window and cursing his babbling idiotic self once more, so he could perfectly see Danneel motioning to a cab and getting the hell away from him as fast as she could.  
He sighed again, pinching the bridge of his nose, and motioned for the waitress.  
"I'm gonna need this to go" he said, resigned, and the waitress patted his shoulder.  
"She looked like a tramp anyway" she stated, conversationally "with all her cleavage on display and that skirt so short you could see her underwear. You don't really want to have a baby with that, trust me."  
The worst part of it was that she was totally right and Jared didn't even notice.  
Uh.  
He could see Sandy's point.

 

  
FLASHBACK  
  
"So? What does it say? Are you pregnant?"  
Jared bounced around Sandy as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, still with the stick in her hand.  
Sandy glared.  
"Of course I'm not! Jared, we only did it once last month! You're good, but not that good, honey."  
"We could have been lucky" Jared retorted, but she huffed.  
"Getting pregnant is not about being lucky, babe" she patiently explained "is about fucking like rabbits any chance we get and hope we hit the right moment."  
Jared made a face.  
"I'm busy" he whined "and tired! And you work a lot too, so I don't get how can you say that-"  
Sandy sighed.  
"Jared, I'm the only one in my group of friends that has to beg their boyfriend to get laid. The others have to pretend they're sick or on their period to get their partners off their case."  
"I did fuck you last night" Jared protested, and Sandy rolled her eyes.  
"You fucked my ass! I can't get pregnant like that!"  
Jared fidgeted.  
"I just-I like it more that way..."  
Sandy looked like she was about to say something, but Jared had already a miserable expression on his face, so she refrained from doing so and just grabbed his hand.  
"Don't worry, sweetie, we'll figure something out" she said, tenderly, and Jared pulled her in his arms, hugging her tight.  
"That's why I love you" he murmured, his face pressed against her neck "you're the best girlfriend ever."  
Sandy groaned inwardly and patted his back.  
"Any time, babe" she muttered.

 

  
The doctor stared at the papers on his desk and sighed.  
"Well" he started "I don't like your levels, Jared."  
Jared frowned, and Sandy squeezed his hand reassuringly.  
"Levels of what?" he inquired, and the doctor gave him a sheet with lots of numbers that made no sense to Jared.  
"I mean, the quality of your semen" he explained.  
"Don't get me wrong, your little guys are lots and in great shape, they just lack motility and forward progression which, combined with your age and lifestyle, it's preventing proper implantation."  
Jared clenched his jaw, feeling like a total failure.  
"Why-why do I have unmoving sperm?" he asked, his voice slightly shaky.  
The doctor took off his glasses and started cleaning them, looking anywhere but straight at them.  
"Probably has something to do with medication that was given to your mother when she was pregnant with you" he said.  
"There are lots of drugs used back in the '80s which we now know can cause infertility."  
Jared's eyes went wide.  
"Are you saying that I'm-infertile?"  
The doctor shrugged apologetically.  
"I would say that your chances are very low."  
"How low?" Sandy asked, and the doctor turned towards her as if he had forgotten she was even there.  
"Well, I don't want to assign a number to it..."  
"What would you assign it, then? A color, a nickname, a locker?" Jared hissed, clenching his fists in his lap.  
How could the man just not get how much this mattered to him?  
The doctor sighed again.  
"Fine" he relented.  
"Let's say around twenty-five percent."  
Jared gaped at him, feeling something clench in his chest, and the doctor looked at the papers once again.  
"As I said, I just don't like-"  
"We got it, no need to say it again" Sandy stated, drily, before standing up and pulling Jared away.  
The doctor just stared at their backs shaking his head.

 

  
"I'm sure there's something else we could try" Jared said, weakly, as soon as they got home, but Sandy sighed and sat on the couch, patting the cushion on her side for Jared to join her.  
"I think we tried everything we could try, babe" she replied, softly "maybe it's time you stop trying and admit it's over."  
Jared gasped.  
"Sandy, how can you say that? Don't you want kids? You always said-"  
Sandy shook her head, effectively stopping him.  
"I wasn't talking about making a baby, Jay. I was talking about making this work."  
"This?"  
"Us" she explained.  
Jared blinked.  
"I-I don't understand" he stuttered.  
Sandy lowered her gaze.  
"You're not in love with me, Jay. I like to believe you were, at the beginning, but the truth of the matter is that now you're not."  
"That's not true" Jared protested "I love you! So much! You're the first and only woman I have ever loved!"  
Sandy offered him a sad smile.  
"Exactly. You love me, and I believe that, but you're not in love with me, honey. You don't...desire me, you don't even look at me, most of the time."  
She bit her lower lip.  
"We've always been best friends, Jay, and you know you can tell me everything, right? I will be there for you."  
Jared frowned, confused.  
Wasn't she dumping him? Why would have she been there for him if she was leaving?  
"If you need someone to talk to about...thoughts, or. You know, needs you don't understand, well."  
He finally got it, and his eyes went wide in shock.  
"Wha-I'm not gay, Sandy! How can you say that?!" he exclaimed, hating the hysteria in his voice.  
Sandy arched an eyebrow.  
"You don't eat me out."  
Jared made a face.  
"It tastes weird. No offense" he added as an afterthought, and Sandy shrugged.  
"None taken. But you also never play with my breasts, and fuck me from behind every time I let you."  
Jared tried to come up with an answer for that, but couldn't, so he said the only thing that came to mind.  
"That's only because I love your ass!"  
Sandy crossed her arms on her chest and just stared at him as the dawn broke on him.  
"Oh, Jesus" he muttered, covering his face with his hands "oh, fuck."  
Sandy rubbed his back as she petted his hair.  
"There, there, is okay. You're gonna be fine, I promise."  
Jared hiccuped.  
All of his life, everything he had thought about himself was crumbling down, and he felt lost, alone and confused.  
What was going to happen?  
How was he going to live with this?  
And most of all...  
"How am I supposed to have a baby now?" he whined.  
  
END OF FLASHBACK

 

  
"So you're suddenly a fag?"  
Jared's blood went to his face so fast he felt dizzy for a moment.  
"Shut up!" he hissed, glaring at his best friend as he shot glances left and right to make sure no one heard.  
"Keep your voice down! Dammit, Chad, don't you have any shame?!"  
Chad shrugged.  
"Why would I? It's your ass we're discussing, not mine."  
Jared groaned.  
He couldn't win, with the guy.  
"Anyway, now that Sandy has kicked you out of your picket fence fantasy and into a life of debauchery, at least I hope you can put this baby mania of yours to rest" Chad added, chugging down his beer.  
"It's not mania" Jared protested "I just want what everyone else has."  
Chad arched an eyebrow.  
"How many times and how many ways have you tried now? Three, four?"  
"Nine" Jared muttered.   
"The last two were in vitro, and I did apply for adoption-"  
"Oh, for fuck's sake" Chad groaned "the last thing we need is for you to go all Madonna with a black baby."  
Jared narrowed his eyes.  
"Well, I don't think we'll have to worry about that since apparently for a new, gay, single, infertile man it can take about five years to get even considered for adoption."  
"Thank fuck" Chad muttered, visibly relaxing in his chair "I've just had it with all these movie stars showing off."  
 _Kill me now_ Jared begged silently _please, someone stab me with something._  
"You know, man, not everyone is going to be tolerant of your alternative lifestyle, but I will" Chad exclaimed, slapping his shoulder.  
"I embrace your diversity, dude!"   
Jared rolled his eyes.  
"I'm just single right now, Chad, there's nothing alternative or diverse about my lifestyle yet."  
Chad snorted.  
"You're almost 30, Jayman. Of course it's alternative if you don't have a pussy to fuck waiting for you at home."  
Right then, his cellphone went off and Chad groaned.  
"Speaking of which, my pussy's calling" he said, glancing at the screen "we gotta bolt."  
He stood up and stomped towards the playing area.  
"Hey, little monsters, time to go! Come to papa!"  
A little girl with pigtails and a boy with red shorts ran towards him, hugging his bony knees, and Chad chuckled.  
Jared couldn't help the pang of jealousy he felt at the scene.  
Even Chad had kids.  
The world was so unfair.  
"Have you thought about using a surrogate? I saw something about it on Dateline" Chad asked as he put a denim jacket on the girl, shaking Jared out of his reverie.  
"No, it's weird-it's for weirdoes" he said, but Chad shook his head.  
"Is the perfect solution for your faggy ass to get a chick inseminated without having to actually fuck her."  
Jared gaped at him and his children, both looking up at them curiously.  
"Chad, the kids-"  
"Oh, they're used to it" Chad replied, waving a hand dismissively.  
"They hear so much worse when me and Sophia fight."  
He seemed disturbingly proud of it, so Jared ignored the comment and kept going on the previous topic.  
"I'll just...keep trying by myself."  
Chad rolled his eyes.  
"Come on, man, building a family is not like opening one of your fancy ass macrological stores, you know."  
"Macrobiotic, Chad. And I know that, thank you very much."  
Chad shrugged.  
"I'm just saying that real life it's not an executive decision. Is fucking messy, that's how it is."  
Jared sighed.  
"Look, man, I know that for years I said I didn't want one, but I just-woke up one day and felt like every baby on the street was staring at me."  
Chad narrowed his eyes.  
"Did you start taking weird hormones like Arnold in that creepy movie where he gets impregnated?" he inquired, and Jared choked on his coke.  
"Wha-no! Of course not, don't be ridiculous!"  
Chad looked at him for a long moment, until Jared fidgeted under the scrutiny.  
"Because you could tell me, you know" he said, weirdly serious.  
"You already came out of the queer closet, you could come out of the mommy closet too. Would be cool."  
Before Jared could dignify the statement with an appropriate reply, a blonde kid in blue overalls ran straight in front of them and Chad grabbed him.  
"Stop right there, tiger, what is this all over you?"  
The kid giggled as Chad swayed him in the air.  
"Is it chocolate or poop?"  
The kid smirked at him, and Chad just licked a stripe off the kid's hand, under Jared's shocked gaze, smacking his lips together afterwards.  
"You little rascal" he said, slapping the kid's ass "don't let your brothers see that or they'll want some too."  
Jared blinked.  
"What if that had been poop?" he asked, stunned, and Chad gave him the exact same grin his son had given him a few seconds before.  
"I told you it's messy" was his only answer.

 


	2. Prenatal period

 

  
"Good morning, and thank you all for being here so early" Jared greeted his colleagues as he put down on the meeting table all the dossiers he had been carrying.  
On a side of the table there were three shot glasses filled with an orange, white and green liquid, respectively, tagged with A, B and C.  
As soon as everyone was seated, the door opened and a man with long black hair styled into a ponytail walked in.  
He was wearing an hawaiian shirt with big palm trees and coconuts drawn all over it, and his piercing blue eyes stopped on the glasses.  
"Hello, everyone!" he exclaimed, waving his hands in the air "let's try these new products!"  
He grabbed the green glass and downed it, savoring it in his mouth for a moment before swallowing.  
"Not bad" he stated, nodding towards Jared, who relaxed a little in his chair "everybody, do a shot of this pea soup."  
The executives looked at each other, but just obeyed.  
The man rubbed his hands together.  
"Okay, let's go with this. We'll call it Health Monster."  
Jared grinned.  
"That's a great name, Misha" he said, writing it down on his pad, and the man grinned back, smugly.  
"It's what I do."  
He stepped away from the desk and started to slowly walk around the room.  
"I was swimming this morning with the dolphins in Costa Rica, and I realized something" he explained.  
"I am a great man, and great men do great things."  
Everyone blinked but no one even attempted to interrupt him.  
They knew better than that.  
He clapped his hands, stopping.  
"I want to open a flagship store right here" he announced.  
"I want it to be the biggest store we ever built, made of 100% recyclable materials and so beautiful that people want to get married in it."  
He stepped on the table and sat, cross-legged, smack in the middle of it.  
He was wearing flip-flops and dress pants.  
"Jared, join me up here" he ordered.  
Jared gaped.  
"But-but I'm-"  
Misha arched an eyebrow.  
"Won't you?"  
His voice made it clear that he was not going to accept a no, so Jared simply sighed, stood up and sat on the table, trying to curl his legs as much as possible so not to throw everyone else's stuff on the floor.  
Misha looked pleased.  
"Now that we are on the same level, Jared, I can tell you that I want you to spearhead this project as our new vice-president."  
Jared gasped, overjoyed, but before he could say anything, Misha got on his four and climbed in his lap.  
"This is me transferring my success to you" he murmured, before grabbing Jared's neck and pulling him closer, resting his own forehead against Jared's.  
The board started clapping, as Jared muttered _thank you, Misha_ and tried to pull away, but Misha just grabbed him again.  
"I'm not done yet" he growled "hold still."

 

 

  
Now that he had finally reached one of his main goals in life, Jared knew he had to take care of the other one.  
No matter how weird, ridiculous or desperate he was going to look.  
"Hello, I'm Paris Hilton" a tall, slender and beautiful woman greeted him.  
"Welcome to my center for surrogate parenting."  
Jared blinked.  
"Oh, there's only one of you, then" he muttered "I thought that Paris and Hilton were two different people."  
The woman arched an eyebrow, but didn't reply; instead, she walked Jared up to her desk, and sat in front of him.  
"I started this business because I saw a growth market" she explained.  
"We don't do our own taxes anymore, or program our computers: we outsource, for those things and many others. And what is surrogacy if not outsourcing?"  
Jared frowned.  
"Wait. Are you saying that my baby will be carried by some poor, underpaid woman in the third world?" he inquired, nervously, but Paris just laughed.  
"We are also expensive" she pointed out "our fee is 100 thousand dollars."  
Jared gasped.  
"It costs more to have someone born than to have someone killed" he protested, and Paris shrugged.  
"Well, it does take longer. Besides, we have to submit all of our surrogates to extensive background checks: criminal records, credit reports, medical histories and psychological testing."  
Jared's head was starting to ache, but he simply shook it a little and asked "why do these women do it? Is it just for the money?"  
Paris crossed her arms on her chest.  
"You do your job for the money too, but I bet you love it and you're good at it" she retorted.  
Jared bit his lower lip.  
"Well, yeah, but that's-"  
"Let me ask you a question" Paris interrupted him.  
"Do you plan on hiring a nanny?"  
"Of course" Jared answered "I have to go back to work."  
Paris hummed.  
"How is this any different? You couldn't carry a baby yourself, now, could you? A nanny is someone you trust to take care of your baby after it's born, and a surrogate mother is someone you trust to take care of your baby before it's born. Either way, it's your baby."  
Jared's gaze shifted, as someone suddenly knocked at the door.  
Paris' eyes lightened up.  
"And here's my baby!" she exclaimed, walking up to her assistant who was carrying in her arms the most beautiful, perfect baby girl Jared had ever seen.  
Paris took her and bounced the baby against her chest, cooing and baby-talking to her.  
Jared stepped closer, his eyes fixed on the baby.  
"Everyone deserves this" Paris stated in a low, soft voice "that's why I wanna remove the stigma from surrogacy: there's no wrong way to make a family."  
Jared swallowed, hard, his throat suddenly dry.  
"You're-you're proof of that" he replied, hoarsely, but Paris chuckled.  
"Oh no, she doesn't come from surrogacy" she said "my latest husband and I conceived our little poodle the old-fashioned way. But you know what really made this little angel possible? A positive attitude."  
Jared was this close to roll his eyes.  
"And fast, active sperm" he muttered.  
Paris shook her head.  
"You may not have a fertile body, but with my help you can still be a father."  
Jared stared at the baby in Paris' arms once more and made his decision.

 

 

  
Jared was pacing nervously on the sidewalk right in front of his building.  
His surrogate mother was due any minute now and he couldn't help feeling uneasy.  
This-this woman was going to meet him, talk to him and decide if she wanted to carry Jared's baby in her belly, and if she didn't like him she'd say no, and then Jared would have no way to-  
"I'm a desperado! Underneath your window! I see your silhouette: are you my Juliet? I feel a mad connection with your body, so shake your bon-bon, shake your bon-bon, shake your bon-bon!"  
Jared turned abruptly and his wide eyes zeroed on Mike, his doorman, who was simulating some raunchy dance moves (was that-spanking?!) as he swayed back and forth at the rhythm of the song playing in his earbuds, singing along in a high-pitched, off-key voice.  
As usual, he was not wearing the hat that went with his uniform, so his completely shaved head sparkled under the afternoon's sun.  
"I wanna be your lover, your only latin lover" he chanted again "we'll go around the world in a day, don't say no!"  
"Nice" Jared muttered.  
Talking about a good first impression.  
Finally, Mike noticed him and took the earphones off.  
"Yo, Jay! Who you waiting on again?" he inquired.  
"Her name's Gen, and she's-well, she might be my surrogate mother" Jared explained for the umpteenth time.  
Mike nodded to himself.  
"That's right, I remember now" he said "you got your baby mama coming today. I dig that, you know I got two of those?"  
Jared blinked.  
"This is different, man, you had-relationships with those women."  
Mike frowned.  
"No, I didn't. I just fucked them."  
Jared rolled his eyes.  
"Whatever you call it. There was no-intercourse between Gen and me, I-this was set up by an agency and there are contracts involved, so it's strictly business."  
Mike nodded again.  
"Cause you're gay now."  
"Uhm. That's not-that's not the point" Jared stuttered, as Mike kept staring at him curiously, until the man shrugged, adjusting his tie.  
"You pay the bills, she have the baby...that's called a baby mama, man."  
Jared thought about replying, but then a yellow truck appeared from behind the curb.  
Music was blazing out of the speakers.  
_Hola Amiga, hola Amiga, you're my temple of desire; you're a Mata Hari, I wanna know your story! In the Sahara sun I wanna be the one that's gonna come and take you!_  
Mike chuckled.  
"Hope that's your baby mama, at least the baby's gonna have good taste in music" he said, but Jared had already taken a step back.  
"Oh, no, I really don't think that's her" he muttered, as Mike went back to his place next to the door, singsonging something that sounded like _here comes your baby mama, riding a Suzuki_.  
The Suzuki did, in fact, park in front of the building, and Jared took another step back when he saw the _BRING IT_ license plate.  
The driver's door opened, and a scrawny, black-haired guy stepped out.  
"I wanna spend about 15 minutes here, then I wanna get my picture taken punching the Rocky statue" he stated.  
"Well, you gonna have to sketch that" a loud, feminine voice replied from the other side of the truck "'cause I didn't bring a camera."  
"You did that on purpose trying to sabotage my art, didn't you?!" the guy yelled, as the woman stepped out of the truck too and slammed the door closed with her foot.  
Jared had lost track of the conversation when he had seen her.  
She was tiny, like Sandy, but there was none of his ex-girlfriend's class in her.  
Her hair were black, fluffed and then styled in something resembling curls, and she was wearing plastic press-on nails and fake eyelashes.  
Her jeans were obviously one size too small, and looked like they were about to explode, while her shirt was faded and way too baggy for her lithe form.  
"I think this might be them" Jared murmured, looking chagrined, and Mike made a face.  
"You told me to tell you when you were sounding ignorant: well, you're sounding ignorant right now, Milo!" she was shouting when Jared and Mike approached them.  
Jared lightly tapped her shoulder.  
"Gen...evieve?"  
"What?!" she snapped, turning abruptly towards him, and Jared blinked, taken aback.  
"I, uh. I'm Jared."  
The girl's expression shifted instantly, as she offered him a beaming smile and threw her arms around him, hugging him tight.  
"Hi!" she exclaimed.  
"Just call me Gen. This is my husband Milo" she added, pointing at the dark-haired guy who was still glaring at her.  
"Common-law" he muttered, shaking Jared's hand.  
Gen rolled her eyes.  
"He always says that."  
Jared fidgeted, until Mike poked his side and made him jump.  
"Well, please, come on in" he said, showing them the way, as Mike opened the door for them and winked encouragingly at him.

 

 

  
"So, how long have you two been together?" Jared inquired, once they were sitting on his couch.  
Genevieve's eyes went wide when she took in the kind of luxury surrounding them.  
"We met the summer after I discontinued high school, and we've been together ever since" she started.  
Milo fidgeted uncomfortably next to her.  
"He never actually asked me to be his wife, but hey, he never asked me to _not_ be, you know? I'd say things are going pretty good."  
Jared blinked, but nodded nonetheless.  
"This place is incredible, Jared" Genevieve went on.  
"The nicest by far out of all the places we've been interviewed at. Where's your wife?"  
Jared grimaced.  
"I, uhm. I don't have one" he muttered, feeling so much like a loser that not even Genevieve appreciating glance lifted his spirit.  
"You must have a really fancy job to afford a place like this on your own, then" she purred, her voice suddenly going lower and full of intentions, and Jared felt like crying.  
"I am the vice president of development for Collins hearts your grapefruit Foods, and I'm newly gay" he managed to spit out in the end.  
Milo's smile suddenly got way friendlier, while he could read burning disappointment on Genevieve's face.  
"I like your shirt" Jared said after a minute or so of embarrassing silence.  
"Thanks, I made it" Genevieve replied, batting her eyelashes.  
"And what do you do, Milo?" Jared asked, desperately trying to find another conversation topic.  
"I'm an inventor/entrepreneur" he said, proudly.  
"Still looking for an actual home run, you know, so we're pretty tight on cash, but we'll make it."  
Genevieve patted his knee.  
"Is that why you're doing this...surrogacy thing?" Jared inquired, and Milo shrugged.  
"Well, I gotta be honest: first time I thought about Gen carrying someone else's baby, it felt weird" he explained.  
"And of course, if my wife's supposed to have sex with some other dude to do it, that's gotta cost extra-ouch!"  
He was interrupted by Genevieve stomping on his foot.  
"He means, that was out of the question" she growled, glaring at him.

 

 

  
"Have you done it already?" Jared inquired, as him and Genevieve were on the balcony, waiting for Milo's bathroom break.  
She waved her had dismissively.  
"I know I'm gonna be good at getting pregnant" she answered, and Jared gasped.  
"No, that's not what I meant" he protested.  
"What I wanted to ask was...how many couples-people are you interviewing before making your decision?"  
Genevieve bit her lower lip, playing with the hem of her shirt.  
"You're like our sixth or seventh" she said in the end.  
"I'm very sensitive to people's energy, so I get exhausted when I meet new people, but-it's good."  
Jared nodded.  
"I really hope that you like me, Gen" he blurted out.  
"I know I'm asking you for a very big favor, but you and Milo have a chance I wasn't given, and I need you to make it happen."  
Genevieve studied him for a moment.  
"It's nice to feel needed. Important. Useful" she murmured.  
"You are" Jared agreed, grabbing her hands.  
"I can't do this without you, Gen. So please."  
She squeezed his hands back and took a deep breath, closing her eyes.  
When she opened them again, there was a resolute expression on her face.  
"Decision made" she stated.  
"Put your baby inside me, Jared."  
Jared beamed at her.  
"You mean it? You really gonna let me do it?" he asked, in a shaky voice, and Genevieve nodded.  
"Is there any chance you might consider doing it the old way?" she asked back, slightly hopeful, and Jared shook his head, snorting.  
"Damn" she huffed.

 

 


	3. Postnatal period

  
"As you can see, Jared's sperm has been released into the oocyte" the doctor explained, showing them a video.  
"Then, we've re-implanted the fertilized eggs into your womb, Genevieve."  
The plan was that, thanks to a very strong intake of hormones and as much rest as possible, the probability of success would go from 25 to over 60 percent.  
"You can take a home pregnancy test in about two weeks" the doctor added, and Genevieve fidgeted in her chair, while Jared stared at her with an expectant, nervous expression.

 

  
What the company was looking for had to be at least 15 thousand square feet in a neighborhood with the potential to become cool in the near future.  
It could have been open lots, buildings they would buy and then tear down or something like that.  
Jared's idea was for them to be perceived as enhancing the neighborhood, and that was why he started working very hard to make sure they chose the perfect place and the perfect materials - mostly found and recycled ones, as per Misha's instructions.  
Money was not a problem, but they had to get it right: the shop was going to be their first flagship store, and there was a lot of pressure on them.  
So, when he found himself staring at a building in ruins, made of red bricks, of exactly 15 thousand square feet, he knew he might have found the right spot.  
Closeby, he saw a nice looking shop, advertising fresh fruit drinks and smoothies, so he decided to take a look.  
It might have been a competitor, after all.  
The shop was airy, with lots of natural light, and the counter was covered in fresh veggies, fruits and cereal bowls.  
As soon as the door chimed closed behind him, a guy stood up from where he was kneeling behind the counter, probably stocking up, and his eyes zeroed on Jared, going slightly wider.  
Jared noticed because he was staring, too.  
The guy was tall, almost as tall as him, and pretty built.  
He was wearing a dark green t-shirt with the shop logo, and all it did was to make his green eyes pop even more than they would have done on the pale skin.  
He had luscious, red lips, already stretching in a welcoming smile, and long, very long eyelashes.  
His dark blonde hair were all in disarray, but somehow managed to still look nothing short than perfect.  
"Hi" the guy greeted Jared in a low, warm voice "welcome to Duper Fruity, I'm Jensen. What can I get you?"  
Jared felt like blushing under the guy's heated gaze, and he had to clear up his throat twice before he could actually manage to reply.  
He looked up at the drinks, and chuckled at the names he could see on the menu.  
 _Lychee luxury_ , _Chestnut thrill_ and _Fishtown fig fusion_ were only some of the concoctions.  
"What about the _You glad I didn't say banana_ smoothie? Does it in fact contain banana?" he asked, and the guy chuckled as well.  
It was a sound that made Jared feel funny.  
"It's a very good question" he replied.  
"It does, in fact. I'm afraid the name's a little more clever than it is informative."  
Jared shook his head.  
"It's cool, I'll try it."  
As Jensen prepared the blender and picked out the ingredients, Jared stepped up and started inquiring about the zone.  
That was the real reason why he entered, after all, wasn't it?  
"I'm looking for a new apartment around here" he started, as vaguely as he could because for some weird reason he didn't like the idea of lying to the guy.  
"That's great!" Jensen exclaimed, maybe a tad too enthusiastically.  
"The neighborhood is good, and improving pretty fast, thanks to all the condos that are going up. The real estate people are trying to give it one of those makeovers to make it the next Manhattan, or something like that."  
Jared nodded.  
"What about business? How is it?" he inquired, and Jensen arched an eyebrow, obviously surprised by the question.  
"Kind of slow" he said in the end, throwing a glance at the empty bar around them.  
"But it's kind of tough going up against the big industry and the corporate juice pimps."  
Jensen pushed the plastic cup with the smoothie towards him, his eyes never leaving Jared's.  
"Have a duper fruity day" he added, and didn't pull his hand back when Jared took the cup, letting his fingers linger against the younger man's a bit too long for it to be casual.  
Jared offered him a sheepish, small smile, and stepped out of the shop, leaving a dumbfounded Jensen in his wake.

 

 

  
As soon as he was far enough, and once the butterflies in his stomach settled down, Jared pulled out his cellphone and called the office.  
"Start to look into the available properties between the 1500 block and the 1800 block of West Catherine Street" he ordered.  
The man on the other side tried to say something, but a beeping sound informed Jared he had another incoming call, and as soon as he saw the name flashing on the display he told him he'd call back and answered.  
"Gen, any news...?"  
He bit his lower lip, well aware that his hands were shaking.  
There was silence for a moment, then Genevieve let out a deep breath.  
"I peed on one of those stick thingies, and it said yes" she announced, and Jared let the cup go, ignoring the way the yellow cream was dribbling all over his pants and shoes.  
Genevieve had said...  
"You-you are _pregnant_? With my baby?!" he squealed in delight, and Genevieve giggled.  
"You're such a freak, but yes" she confirmed.  
Jared did a little impromptu dance on the sidewalk, not minding the way people was looking at him.  
He was gonna be a _father_.  
"That is just the greatest news ever, Gen! It's unbelievably great, I can't even-"  
"Yeah, yeah, it's not such a big deal, Jared" Genevieve tried to interrupt him dismissively, but Jared didn't let her.  
"For me it is" he stated, firmly.  
"Thank you so much, Gen. If there's anything you need, anything at all, just let me know, okay? I mean it, anything."  
He could hear Genevieve condescending smile through the phone.  
"I will, you big baby" she replied.

 

  
"What if the baby's a hermaphrodite?"  
Jared's panicking voice got Chad out of his slumber default state pretty fast.  
"Jay? What the fuck are you talking about?" he groaned, glaring at the phone.  
"A chick with a dick! I was reading this book called _101 things that could go wrong during your pregnancy_ , and it got me thinking" Jared explained rushingly.  
"It happens to about 2% of the babies, you know, it's not to be taken lightly."  
Chad snorted.  
"Oh come on, Jaybird, that's bullshit! It would mean that at least 10 chicks from our high school had dicks, and you know that it ain't right."  
"You didn't fuck them all, Chad, no matter what you tell yourself at night" Jared hissed.  
"I so did, you homo" Chad retaliated cheerfully.  
"Anyway, worrying about things won't help you solve them, will it?"  
Jared bit his lower lip.  
"You're absolutely right. Do you think it's too much if I ask Gen to call me every day?"  
Chad rolled his eyes.  
"Baby mama Gen or fruitcake Jen?" he inquired, mockingly, and the frustrated sound Jared made was exactly what he had been looking for.  
His best friend was so easy to rile up that sometimes it wasn't even funny anymore.  
"I so shouldn't have told you about him" Jared whined.  
"He doesn't even have my number! Of course I was talking about Genevieve. She seems so chaotic, I just-"  
"Seriously, man, loosen up! Go get the fruit dude, get him drunk and get laid, for fuck's sake" Chad growled, and Jared huffed.  
"Listen to me, Jay, stop stressing" Chad added.  
"Focus on the current situation, okay? Genevieve is only six weeks in, and if you're already a wreck now what are you going to do in six months? Eight months? Seriously, you're gonna drive us all insane, starting with her!"  
"I know I can't put her in a cage and force feed her" Jared sighed.  
"I just wish I could be closer to her, you know? Share more of this experience, not just...sitting out on the bleachers."  
"I hear you man" Chad replied, as sympathetic as Chad could get "but just give it time. Your fault for making a baby with a girl you didn't screw."  
Jared wanted to get pissed at Chad, he really did, but there were too many terrifying scenarios running through his head for him to focus on his friend long enough to get offended by his comments.  
He really shouldn't have bought that book.

 

  
Jared was already fast asleep in his bed when he heard the knocking at his door.  
He stood up, rubbing sleep off his eyes together with the remaining of a vivid nightmare about some sort of demonic baby trying to eat him, and opened the door, only to find a Mike standing on the other side, with a big bag.  
"Baby mama drama alert" he said, but before Jared could inquire further, a pissed-off looking Genevieve appeared from behind him.  
"I left Milo" she stated, and Jared's eyes went wide.  
"What? Why?"   
Genevieve narrowed her eyes.  
"He cheated on me, the slimy bastard" she hissed.  
"I found out, and we got into a huge fight, very physical."  
Jared grabbed her arm.  
"Is everything okay?" he asked, worried, and she shrugged.  
"Yeah, don't worry. I didn't hit him too hard."  
Jared blinked, then Genevieve snapped her fingers and gave him a picture.  
"I almost forgot" she said, with a small smile.  
"This is a copy of the first ultrasound."  
Jared stared at the few spots on the glossy paper, his heart swelling in his chest.  
"Looks like a squirrel to me" Mike muttered, and Jared glared at him.  
"A very cute one" he added, quickly, lifting his hands in a non-threateningly gesture.  
"Give him a break" Genevieve interrupted them "he is right, it's kind of early and you can't really see anything yet. They just took a picture to make sure it's growing right, and apparently it is."  
Jared frowned.  
"Why didn't you tell me you were getting one? I would have been there" he protested.  
Genevieve lowered her head, and when she finally talked, her voice was wavering.  
"I didn't wanna bother you" she murmured, before grabbing Jared's sleeve and throwing herself in his arms, starting to sob.  
Jared's eyes went wide and he looked helplessly at Mike, but the guy just waved at him and left, leaving Jared in the middle of the living room, as he patted Genevieve's back awkwardly.

 

  
"The couch is more comfortable than it looks, don't you worry about that" Jared said as he got it ready for Genevieve.  
"Even I have slept here at times, and if it accommodates me you'll be fine."  
Not hearing any reply coming from Genevieve, he went looking for her, and found her snoring lightly, spread on Jared's bed.  
He chuckled and took her shoes off, before covering her with a blanket.  
He couldn't stop his hand from sneaking a caress on Genevieve's still taut stomach.  
"Good night, squirrel" he whispered, a small, soft smile on his face.

 

  
Misha stared at the red building.  
He inhaled deeply, made some weird moves with his arms flailing in the air and finally lightened up some incense right in front of where the entrance was going to be, as everyone milled around waiting for him to be done and pretending not to be weirded out by his attitude.  
Right then, Jared appeared, running from around the corner.  
"I'm here! Sorry I'm late" he exclaimed, breathless.  
Misha arched an eyebrow.  
"45 minutes late is so not like you, Jared" he pointed out sternly.  
"Is everything okay?"  
Jared swallowed.  
"Just a little out of whack today" he replied "let's do this."  
He thanked everyone for waiting, then started explaining that what they were dealing with was not just an old dilapidated warehouse, but the door to a new life for all of them.  
Misha looked suitably impressed and Jared thought everything had worked out for the best, at least until Misha got closer to him and asked him if he wanted a shot of bee pollen.

 

  
When Jared got back home after work, his living room was a mess.  
Dr. Pepper, Pringles and Tasykakes were only a few of the so not appropriate food groups scattered all over the coffee table and part of the floor.  
Then, a rolling can caught his attention.  
"Gen, what is this? Red Bull? Are you insane?" he snapped.  
"You are carrying a baby, dammit! You can't keep acting like a teenager on steroids!"  
Genevieve had at least the decency of looking chagrined, which calmed Jared a little.  
"What you eat, the baby eats" he added, his voice quieter.  
"What you listen to, the baby listens to, and-"  
His eyes fell on Genevieve's jacket, thrown on the couch, and the green package peeking from the pocket, and in a second his rage returned.  
"Cigarettes?! Not only smoking at all is stupid, but when you are pregnant?! I can't even begin to-"  
The phone ringing interrupted their conversation, and even as he answered, his eyes kept throwing daggers at Genevieve.  
"We're moving forward, Jared" Misha announced, and Jared breathed out, relieved.  
"I think that's a great decision, Misha" he said.  
"We can close it in a couple of weeks, I just need the time to put a few things together."  
"You gotta organize a huge press conference, too" Misha stated, and Jared pondered about it for a second before he decided to go for it.  
"Listen, Misha, what do you think about some community outreach, before we organize anything else?" he inquired, tentatively.  
"If we could get the people of the neighborhood on our side, like the small business and independent retailers, everything would be so much easier, and we could let the press find us instead of the other way around."  
He held his breath for a moment, until Misha clapped his hands together.  
"I'm definitely a genius, for hiring people like you" he said, and Jared could breathe freely again.  
Of course he knew his reasons for this different approach were not strictly professional, but what Misha didn't know, couldn't hurt him.  
Besides, it _was_ a great idea, hidden agenda and fruit smoothies not withstanding.

 

  
"Now, you listen to me" Jared exclaimed once he got off the phone, walking back to the living room.  
"Since thanks to my job I handle the most nutritious, chemical-free food there is, my baby won't be brought into this world addicted to sugar, smoke or whatever other shit you've been feeding him."  
Genevieve opened her mouth to protest, but Jared stopped her by shoving two pills down her throat.  
As she coughed and tried to simultaneously breathe and swallow them, Jared patted her back.  
"Folic acid and prenatal vitamins" Jared explained, answering to the mute question in her wide eyes.  
"My baby won't have a pinhead, if I can do anything to prevent it."  
"There's a thing called being too healthy, you know" Genevieve pointed out once she finally succeeded at swallowing the pills.  
"It's what killed Bruce Lee."  
Jared arched an eyebrow.  
"I'm sure there is" he grumbled.

 


	4. Perinatal period

  
The whole community was standing in the street, listening to Misha's welcoming speech.  
He introduced himself as a man of the people, grown up around there, who went to the same schools they did.  
"What makes me different from you all is that I travelled the world. I learned lots of things and I'm here to share my experiences with you."  
The people looked interested, and Misha smiled.  
"So without further ado, please put your hands together for our vice president of development, Jared Padalecki."  
As soon as Jared took Misha's place in front of the crowd, everyone started talking, asking, complaining and protesting.  
"Please, just line up at the microphone and I'll take your question, okay?" Jared shouted to be heard over the noise.  
"Just...one at a time."  
"Mister Padalecki" a low, familiar voice resounded, and Jared looked down the podium.  
Sure enough, Jensen was standing there, his expression unreadable.  
"I'm Jensen Ackles, from the Small Business Owners' Association" he introduced himself.  
"I think you've been to my store?"  
Jared swallowed.  
"Yes, I have, I-I remember you" he replied, trying not to stutter and failing.  
"Did you ever find that apartment you were looking for?" Jensen inquired, and there was a slight hurt note in his voice.  
Jared hated himself, for a moment.  
"Not yet" he answered, unable to look him in the eye.  
Jensen made a sound in the back of his throat, but didn't call him out on it.  
"What I meant to ask was what portion of your profits are gonna be invested in rebuilding and revitalizing our community."  
Jared blinked, and Jensen smirked.  
Oh, so that's how it was gonna be? Well, he was not going to let a pair of green eyes distract him from his goal.  
"Thank you for that question" he said, and put on his best serious and professional mask, hoping it would be enough to get him through the morning.

 

  
"Jared."  
He turned abruptly, when Jensen called out for him. He was checking a fruit stand.  
"I like what you've brought with you, I really do" Jensen stated "but I have one last question for you."  
Jared clenched his jaw and forced himself to look Jensen straight in the face.  
"Shoot."  
Jensen's expression softened.  
"You never told me if you liked my smoothie" he added, quietly.  
Just like that, the butterflies returned in Jared's stomach.  
"A little too much banana, to be honest" he replied, with a little chuckle, and Jensen feigned indignation.  
It dawned on him that they were _flirting_ , and he desperately tried to recover his coolness.  
"Listen, Mr. Ackles-" he started, but Jensen lifted a hand.  
"Please. Mr. Ackles is my father. You gotta call me Jensen."  
"I-okay" Jared replied, quickly.  
"Jensen, then. I really don't want to fight with the Small Business Owners' Association, you know? We don't have to be enemies."  
Jensen tried some nuts from a bowl and nodded at him to go on.  
Jared fidgeted.  
"I would be happy to sit down with you some time to discuss it all."  
Jensen's arm stopped half way to the bowl.  
"You...asking me out on a date, Jared?" he inquired, blinking, and Jared's eyes went wide.  
"What? No! Of course not!" he denied it, and Jensen arched an eyebrow.  
"You sure? 'Cause you lied to me once already."  
Jared bit his lower lip.  
"Yeah, about that..." he trailed off, not knowing how to apologize without sounding condescending, but Jensen just shook his head.  
"That's fine, as long as you're sure."  
He took a step closer.  
"Tell me I'm reading you wrong" he murmured, and Jared's head was suddenly spinning.  
"I-I am sure" he stuttered, moving back and away from Jensen's fresh and fruity smell.  
Jensen's smile fell.  
"Okay, then, I guess I'll see you around" he said, before walking away.

 

  
"He asked me if I was asking him out! And I was all like, _what?!_ , and then-"  
"Is he hot?" Chad's voice asked from the other side of the phone.  
"Well, I guess he-you're missing the point!" Jared exclaimed.  
Before Chad could reply, another incoming call forced Jared to put him on hold.  
"Yes?"  
"I'm starving!" Genevieve whined.  
"There's pea soup in the refrigerator" Jared groaned, rolling his eyes.  
After a second, he could hear the blob of the soup as Genevieve filled a bowl with it.  
"It looks disgustingly healthy" she complained "I don't like it."  
"It's good for you and especially for the baby" Jared insisted.  
Genevieve huffed.  
"I don't want to sound dramatic, but I'd rather be shot in the face than eat this stupid food."  
"Just eat it" Jared ordered, before switching back to Chad.  
"It's like living with a child, I swear" he sighed.  
"It's good practice for when you will actually be living with one" Chad pointed out.  
"Besides, you're both adults, you'll figure this out."  
Jared didn't feel much better.

 

  
"Did you just stick gum under my coffee table?"  
Genevieve's gaze shifted.  
"I don't know."  
Jared narrowed his eyes and bent to look: the whole surface was covered in gum.  
"What the fuck?! How could you do that?!" he exclaimed.  
"Maybe YOU stuck some of it there!" Genevieve shouted back.  
"Of course I did! That's exactly what I feel like doing after a long, stressful day at work: ruining my ridiculously expensive coffee table!"  
"You're such a little bitch!"  
"You're the bitch!"  
"Go get laid!"

 

  
Paris looked at them and their defensive stances.  
"There's no need to yell" she said, calmly.  
"Jared, you're used to be the boss, and Gen, being pregnant makes you feel vulnerable and sensitive. These conflicts are normal, due to how highly unusual this relationship is."  
Genevieve crossed her arms.  
"I don't know all the therapy terms, but Jared is always up in my business."  
Jared let out a disbelieving chuckle.  
"Well, I guess it becomes necessary when someone falls asleep with a curling iron in their hair" he retorted.  
"That only happened two times!"   
Paris sighed.  
"Genevieve, the bottom line is that you're carrying Jared's baby, and you do wanna get paid, right?"  
"Yeah" Genevieve replied, drily.  
Paris nodded, pleased.  
"That means that Jared does deserve some input."  
Then, she walked up to Jared, and patted his shoulder.  
"You do have to remember that a surrogate is not your employee, though, it's your partner."  
Jared made a face.  
"Like Tom and Jerry" he muttered.  
"Exactly!" Genevieve exclaimed, her face lightening up.  
Jared glared at her.  
"Oh, please. Tom and Jerry hate each other."  
Genevieve blinked.  
"What? No! They love each other! What show are you watching, man?"  
"They're a cat and a mouse!"  
"But they have so much fun together!"  
"Yeah, trying to kill each other!"  
"You're SO wrong!"  
"Enough" Paris snapped.  
"I want you two to spend more time together. Jared, why don't you let Genevieve help you get ready for the baby?"  
Jared arched an eyebrow.  
"Decorate the nursery together, pick out a crib...all the things you'd do if you were pregnant" Paris explained.  
Genevieve snorted, and Jared really wished he could strangle her and blame it on raging hormones.

 

  
Genevieve was already all curled up in the bed, when Jared got in.  
"I just wanted to apologize" he started, tentatively.  
"I think I may have overreacted back there."  
Genevieve turned slightly to throw a deadly glance at him.  
"You think?"   
Jared pinched the bridge of his nose.  
"This whole thing is very important to me, that's all" he tried to explain.  
"And to be honest, it makes me a little bit crazy that you get to feel it and experience it, while I just watch."  
Genevieve sat up in the bed.  
"You're jealous" she pointed out.  
Jared swallowed, and nodded.  
Genevieve looked surprised.  
"How can you be jealous of me? Look at you. You have the house, the money, the looks...you have the life, Jared. I'm just a paid womb."  
Jared shook his head, leaving a glass of water on the bedside table.  
"I'm sorry for all the times I called you stupid" he murmured, before leaving.  
"You were right every single one of them" Genevieve replied, equally low, once she was alone.

 

  
"So, why didn't you just get married to a girl to have your baby?"  
They were walking through the park, drinking soy latte from a steamy Starbucks cup.  
Jared made a face.  
"I almost did" he replied "with a girl named Sandy. We were together for six and a half years."  
Genevieve looked surprised.  
"Wow, that's a very long time."  
Jared shrugged.  
"She was the only girl I ever lived with. Well, before you."  
Genevieve chuckled.  
"I don't count. So, what happened?"  
"We didn't work out. She was dead set on me being gay, and so now she has two beautiful kids with an old co-worker of mine."  
"That sucks" Genevieve stated "but don't worry about it: you're super-successful, and you have sweet-ass legs."  
Jared choke on the coffee.  
"Well, uh, thanks I think" he managed to say in the end.  
"But you know, she was kind of right."  
Genevieve looked back at him.  
"About you being a total fruitcake? Oh yes, I'm aware" she replied "I was not hitting on you or anything. I leave that to tall, handsome blondies with green eyes."  
Jared's eyes went wide.  
"How do you even know-"  
"I get bored at home, so I listen in to your phonecalls. Sue me."  
Jared just shook his head.  
Despite himself, he was starting to get used to her.  
"How about you?" he inquired, after a moment.  
"What's your story?"  
Genevieve looked down at her cup.  
"I only had one good boyfriend before Milo" she started.  
"Tom Welling. You remind me of him, a little. We used to work together when we were 16, and he waited a whole month before he touched my boobs."  
"A teenage gentlemen" Jared pointed out.  
"Then what?"  
Genevieve sighed.  
"Then he went to college, and I've never heard from him again."  
Jared squeezed her shoulder.  
"You know, Gen, you could lead a completely different life. You could do so much. You're a very smart person."  
Genevieve finally looked up and offered him a small smile.  
"You really think that?"  
Jared smiled back.  
"Absolutely."

 

  
They were still in the park when Genevieve's phone rang.  
It was Milo, asking to meet up.  
Genevieve apologized to Jared and went: they hadn't seen each other in a while, and most of all she was curious about what he might have wanted.  
"I want you to come home, baby, I miss you" he started.  
"I haven't had sex in two weeks."  
"I've been gone a month" Genevieve growled.  
Milo fidgeted, and she pinched the bridge of her nose.  
"Listen, Milo, after all the time I spent with Jared I looked back at my life, and I feel that the direction I'm going to take might not include you."  
Milo narrowed his eyes.  
"I've got bad news for you, Gen. Your best friend Jared is just using you to have a baby! You'd never be friends in real life! This is just business, to him."  
"You don't even know him, Milo" Genevieve snapped.  
"You did a very dumb thing moving in with him, Gen" he protested.  
"He'll use you and then dump you like yesterday's trash, and what will you do then, uh? You're not smart enough to pull this off."  
Genevieve glared at him.  
"Just stay away from me, okay?"  
"No way! I want my half of the checks! It was me who put you up for the baby-making business, it was me who fixed it when you screwed up. Now you think you can get this payday without me?"  
Genevieve's chest clenched.  
So that was what it was all about.  
"I don't wanna do any of this anymore, Milo" she blurted out, and took off the ring she was wearing.  
"I want a common-law divorce."  
Milo's eyes went wide, as she dropped the ring in his open palm.  
"You're actually giving me back the ring I made for you in metal shop?"  
She nodded.  
"Okay, you know what? I'm the one who tells you when this relationship is over" he hissed through gritted teeth.  
"There's a lot of girls there, sitting on the bench, that wanna come into this game. So _I_ am canceling this relationship!"  
Genevieve swallowed.  
"At least let's have a quickie in the car, yeah? We owe it to one another" Milo suggested, and the pregnancy book Genevieve launched at his head was heavy enough to leave him slightly dizzy.  
"What the hell is wrong with you!" she yelled, before stomping away.  
"I'm not gonna be here for you when Jared finds out the truth and kicks you out" Milo shouted after her.  
"I hope you have Kleenex, 'cause you just said goodbye to the coolest thing that's ever happened to you."

 


	5. Duration

  
Misha looked at the model for the shop.  
"So, in the last 24 hours I got clearances on the titles and the permits, tax-incentive grants from the city and the states and your plane tickets for the surf camp" Jared explained.  
Misha smiled.  
"I love it, Jay" he stated, in the end.  
"I wanna reward you with five minutes of uninterrupted eye contact."  
Before Jared could protest, Misha grabbed his hands and stared at him, so he just cringed inwardly and stared back.  
The rest of their colleagues slowly left, but Misha kept staring, without blinking.  
Jared couldn't do anything but take it, all the while thinking about other eyes, equally piercing but way softer.

 

  
The meeting at work ran late, so by the time Jared finally reached the smoothie bar it was dark outside.  
"We're closed!" Jensen stated from behind the counter.  
"Doesn't look much different than when you're open" Jared joked, and his heart missed a beat when he saw Jensen's eyes lighten up as soon as he recognized him.  
"Don't tell me you intend to start bulldozing the neighborhood tonight" he whined mockingly, and Jared chuckled.  
"Well, I'm sorry I'm so good at my job" he retorted.  
Jensen shook his head.  
"Why are you out so late? You a prostitute at night?"  
Jared snorted.  
"My meeting at the new building ran late, that's all" he explained.  
They sat down at an empty table, and Jared looked outside, trying to come up with something to say.  
"I really like your logo" he stated, lamely, in the end.  
Jensen looked pleased.  
"Thanks, I did it myself" he replied.  
"Don't you think it looks like a...penis? With the banana, the oranges and all?"  
Jared couldn't help bursting out laughing, followed by Jensen.  
"So, is that offer to get together some time still on the table?" Jensen inquired when the laughter had finally died down.  
Jared bit his lower lip.  
"You didn't read me wrong" he said, abruptly.  
Jensen smiled.  
"Then go out with me."  
Jared swallowed, hard, before nodding.  
"Yeah, I-I'd like that."

 

  
When Genevieve got home, Jared was already fast asleep on the couch.  
She sighed and picked up her things, as silently as she could; the guy had given up everything he had for her, he had opened his house, his life, his heart to her and she had been lying to him all along.  
It was time to stop.  
With her shoes in a hand and her duffle in the other, she tiptoed away, out of a life that didn't belong to her but she had loved just the same.

 

  
Mike found her outside, sitting on the porch.  
"What's going on?" he inquired, and Genevieve looked at him with watery eyes.  
"I'm lying to Jared" she confessed.  
"I'm not carrying his baby. I'm carrying Milo's. The procedure didn't take, and since I was crushed by it Milo and I did it to cheer me up."  
"I knew something was up" he stated.  
"And no matter how this ends, your baby will have an awfully unpronounceable surname" he added, trying to lighten up the mood.  
"It wasn't supposed to be like this, you know" Genevieve sighed.  
"Everything just got way out of hand. I'm just gonna split."  
"Oh, good idea" Mike stated, mockingly.  
"Just slip away in the dead of night, so that Jared thinks you've stolen the baby. That would destroy him."  
Genevieve's gaze shifted.  
She didn't think about that.  
"This isn't some small scam, Gen" Mike went on.  
"You're lying about the existence of a human being. If you don't tell Jared, you'll never be able to live with yourself."  
Genevieve wrapped her arms around her chest.  
"Maybe you could tell him after I'm gone..."  
Mike glared at her.  
"You know what I'm gonna do? Not a damn thing, 'cause you're gonna tell him yourself."  
Genevieve groaned and hid her face in her hands.  
Figured that the only time the doorman decided to be wise would have been the only time she had needed him to be as crazy as usual.

 

  
They were riding in Jared's car, the morning after, and right as Genevieve opened her mouth to spill the beans, Jared offered her a folder.  
"I've got a surprise for you" he said.  
 _Boy, have I got a surprise for you too_ , Genevieve thought, before taking a look at the folder.  
"It's for the Philadelphia School of Textiles" Jared explained.  
"They've got a great fashion program, but that's not all. Open it."  
Inside the folder, pinned to the page, there was a check.  
"No, Jay, I can't take that" Genevieve protested.  
"You gotta put that through the agency!"  
Jared shook his head.  
"I'm giving it to you early, so that you can pay the tuition in case you decide to sign up. They only take subscription until the end of the month."  
Genevieve felt like crying.  
"Jared...when you get mad, you stay mad for a long time?"  
Jared smiled.  
"I do, actually. I'm a big grudge-holder. Why you ask?"  
"No reason" Genevieve replied, hoarsely.

 

  
"What am I supposed to do, Mike?" Genevieve asked, frustrated.  
"I can't cash that check, I can't take anymore of Jared's money!"  
Mike sighed.  
"Well, just...stay here until you've figured out what to do, okay? Don't just split."  
Genevieve put a palm on her belly.  
"I don't know anything about being a mother" she murmured.  
Mike glanced at her.  
"You better start learning, then."  
Genevieve looked around the house.  
"I thought that me and Milo would make it through, and I wouldn't be alone, but now..."  
She shrugged.  
"Maybe it would be better if the kid was raised here, you know? Better school, better situation...better parent."  
Mike crossed his arms.  
"Is that what you want?"  
Genevieve bit her lower lip.  
"No" she said in the end "I wanna keep it."

 

  
When Jared came out of his room all dressed up, with a new, ironed shirt and dark jeans, Genevieve whistled.  
"Hot damn! Where are you going?" she asked, and Jared chuckled.  
"I have a date with that guy...Jensen" he replied, shyly.  
"You gonna tell him about me?" she inquired further, and Jared froze.  
"I didn't think about it" he said.  
"But no, I don't think so. I've made that mistake before, turns out that they don't like talking about babies, embryos and pregnancy on the first date."   
Genevieve hummed, but she didn't look convinced.  
"Just go fix your hair" she suggested "looks like a cuckoo nest."  
As Jared disappeared in the bathroom, the doorbell rang, and without really thinking about it, Genevieve opened the door, finding the tall hot blondie she had heard Jared gushing about over the phone to his friend Chad.  
"I'm Jensen, I'm here to pick up Jared" he politely introduced himself.  
"I know I'm early, but I was in the neighborhood and I thought...I'll shut up now."  
Genevieve snorted.  
"Come on in, Jensen. I'm Genevieve."  
"You live here?" he asked, warily.  
"No, I live in New York City. With my husband" she replied, but he was still looking at her weirdly, so she added "I'm Jared's sister."  
She could see the relief on Jensen's face, and barely resisted from rolling her eyes.  
Seriously, how smitten were these guys?  
"We look different 'cause we have different dads, by the way" she went on.  
"Let me go get Jared for you."

 

  
"So, you were a lawyer, then?"  
Jared looked back at Jensen, surprised.  
Jensen nodded, rubbing at the back of his neck self-consciously.  
"So, what kind of law did you practice?"  
"Corporate" he explained.  
"I defended politicians and pricks, basically."  
Jared snorted.  
"Wow, you sound very proud" he mocked him.  
Jensen chuckled.  
"Oh, yeah. And what about you? You like your work?"  
Jared's eyes lightened up.  
"I love it" he replied "especially when I get to travel. People do say I'm bossy and controlling."  
"I'm sure that's just prejudice. They'd call you bossy and controlling if you were a woman, but since you're a man, I'm pretty sure you're just a dick."  
Jared choked on his beer.  
"No one's ever called me a dick before on a date" he said.  
"I said it with love" Jensen pointed out.

 

  
"There's something that I haven't told you, and it may be a deal-breaker" Jensen muttered as they walked back to the smoothie bar.  
"I have a daughter."  
Jared blinked.  
"But I thought..."  
"It was just a mistake" Jensen interrupted him.  
"I was young and she was my debate partner. She kept insisting that I couldn't be sure I was gay if I had never slept with a woman, so we did it."  
Jared nodded, but didn't say anything, waiting for Jensen to go on.  
"She's 12 years old, and she lives with me every other weekend."  
Jared squeezed his arm.  
"I think it's great, Jensen" he murmured, and Jensen offered him a small, relieved smile.  
"Okay then. You have any kids?"  
Jared's blood went cold.  
"I, uh. I've never been married, if-"  
"You don't have to be married to have a kid" Jensen stated, softly, and that's when Jared couldn't stop himself anymore.  
He leaned in, his eyelids fluttering shut, and kissed Jensen.  
He meant for it to be just a peck, to test the waters, but Jensen opened up easily for him, with a deep sigh, as if he had been waiting forever for that kiss, and Jared just let himself go, his arms wrapping around Jensen's neck as their tongues met for the first time.  
When they finally pulled away, Jensen's eyes were shining.  
"Do you wanna go back to my place?" he asked, hoarsely.  
"Fuck, yes" Jared panted.  
"I'm 29, I know how this works."  
Jensen grabbed his hand.  
"Come with me then."

 

  
"I think I should tell him" Jared said the morning after, as he told Genevieve everything about the night before and tried to feel the baby kick.  
"It might not turn into anything, but it also might. The longer I wait, the weirder it's gonna be, I'm afraid."  
"It's gonna be weird no matter what" Genevieve pointed out, but Jared shook his head.  
"You know what? He'll know I'm hiding something. I'm the worst liar ever."  
Genevieve pondered for a moment.  
"Okay, tell me three things about yourself and make one of them a lie" she suggested.  
Jared fidgeted.  
"I'm from Texas, I am a cancer and I am...4 ft 6" he concluded, snickering.  
Genevieve arched an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, you suck" she admitted.  
"See? This is why I can't lie to him!"  
"Well, you're not actually _lying_ to him" Genevieve stated.  
"You're just not telling him the truth. There's a big difference."  
Jared frowned.  
"Is there?"  
Genevieve shrugged.  
"Oh, don't ask me" she muttered.

 

  
"Is your sister still staying at your place? Is that why you always want to stay over here?"  
Jared was yawning as he entered the kitchen, and Jensen already had the perfect cup of coffee ready for him.  
It took him a minute to process the actual question.  
"One of the reasons" he replied, inhaling deeply the earthy aroma from his cup.  
That was one of the things Jensen and him had in common; without their morning coffee, they were not even human beings.  
"How long is she gonna remain in town?" Jensen inquired further, and Jared fidgeted.  
"You know, Jensen, Gen's not really my sister..." he started, firmly decided to finally tell the truth, but Jensen smiled and kissed him sweetly.  
"Yeah, half-sister, sorry. She did tell me that first night, when I met her."  
Jared frowned.  
"What else did she tell you?"  
Jensen smirked.  
"That you like me a _lot_ " he flirted, and Jared chuckled.  
"Be careful, she's a known liar" he retorted.  
Jensen shook his head, amused, and pushed a newspaper towards him.  
"Alona wants me to take her to a weird exhibit, next week" he explained.  
"I wanted to know if maybe you'd like to come."  
Jared blinked, surprised.  
"You-want me to meet your daughter?" he asked, hesitantly.  
"But we barely know each other..."  
Jensen's smile faded a little.  
"Is that a bad idea? Maybe you don't-"  
"No!" Jared interrupted him.  
"That's just-I really, really like kids."  
He licked his lower lip.  
"And I like you, too" he murmured.  
Jensen beamed at him, and took the newspaper back.  
Just below that, there was a magazine with a huge picture of Paris Hilton.  
Jared's eyes went wide, and following his gaze, Jensen snorted.  
"Have you read this article? She's a piece of work! The whole surrogacy process is insulting and ridiculous. Sounds like science-fiction."  
Jared froze.  
"There are so many kids that need to be adopted, dammit" Jensen went on, evidently irked, and Jared muttered "adoption can take years" but Jensen barely heard him.  
"These people are ready to pay, like, 50 thousand dollars in order to have their baby custom-carried by a _gestation assistant_!"  
It was a 100 thousand, actually, but Jared didn't feel like correcting Jensen, who had suddenly started pacing back and forth.  
"Well, I think it's probably a lot more complicated than it seems" Jared tried, weakly, as he felt like the floor had been ripped away from under his feet.  
"It's just rich people getting what they want" Jensen muttered, exiting the kitchen, not before stating how much he hated the song coming up right then on the radio.  
It was Jared's favorite song of all times.

 


	6. Childbirth

  
"Your baby shower is today, isn't it?" Mike asked, and Genevieve nodded, nervously, as she fixed her shirt.  
"And you feel good about letting Jared go ahead and have it, right? You don't realize how ruthless that is, do you?"  
Genevieve groaned.  
"What am I supposed to do, uh? Tell him today, in front of all his friends and family?" she protested.  
Mike made a face.  
"Of course not! Why don't you wait till the child is like nine years old and then tell him?"  
Genevieve pinched the bridge of her nose.  
"Dammit, Mike, I'll tell him tonight, okay? After all this madness is through."  
She paused.  
"Or maybe Monday. But then it'll ruin his week, so maybe I should wait till Friday...but then again, that would ruin his weekend..."  
Mike glared at her, and she sighed.  
"I don't know when I'm gonna tell him" she admitted.  
"When's the best day to tell someone horrible news?"  
"Yesterday" Mike grumbled.

 

  
The baby shower was already in its peak, when Jensen dropped in, unexpected.  
"Jensen, what are you doing here?" Jared hissed, taking him on the side.  
"I know it's your sister's baby shower and all, but you haven't called me in days" he said, his gaze shifting.  
He looked chagrined and guilty, and that made Jared feel even worse.  
"Jensen..."  
"I thought maybe I did something wrong" Jensen added, quietly.  
Jared swallowed, hard.  
"No, you...you haven't done anything."  
"Is it because I wanted to introduce you to my kid? Was it too fast for you?"  
Jared took a step back.  
"No, it's not that. I just realized that you and I see the world differently, and-"  
"Bad news, people! Party is over, start heading for the door!"  
Milo's angry voice interrupted them, and everyone turned to look at him, puzzled.  
"Who let him in here?" Jared inquired, as Genevieve stepped towards him.  
"Milo, don't say anything stupid" she warned him, and Milo smirked.  
"Oh, I see. You haven't told him yet, have you? Weren't you two like best friends?"  
"Shut your mouth, Milo, I mean it" Genevieve growled, but Milo ignored her in favor of staring Jared down.  
Jared blinked, his gaze shifting from him to her.  
"What is going on, here?" he asked, forgetting about Jensen standing _right there_.  
Genevieve looked sad and apologetical.  
"Listen, Jay, I really tried to make you a baby, I swear. But we took a test as soon as we got home, and the procedure didn't work."  
"What-what are you saying?" Jared stuttered, his eyes wide.  
"I was really horny, because of all the hormones, so me and Milo did it" Genevieve explained, staring at the floor.  
"He told me you were going to get somebody else, and I didn't want to be a failure, you know?"  
"Dammit, Gen, those hormones can also give a false negative" Jared snapped.  
"That's why you're supposed to wait two weeks before you take a test!"  
Genevieve blinked.  
"Wait, that means..."  
"That means the baby might be Milo's, but it might also still be mine" Jared explained.  
The terrace was completely silent, until Jensen cleared his throat.  
"Sorry, I'm trying to play catch-up here" he said.  
"So what, you got your sister pregnant but she also slept with him?"  
Jared groaned.  
"For fuck's sake, Jensen, she is not my sister! She's just an ignorant white trash woman that I paid to carry my kid, nothing else."  
Genevieve's face crumbled.  
"I-I guess I deserve that" she murmured.  
"No, you don't" Mike piped up, but neither of them heard him.  
"How could you do that? Lie to me? Play with my feelings?"  
Jared was shaking in rage, then turned towards Jensen.  
"Oh, and this is why I didn't call you back, Jen. Because this is the kind of selfish, science fiction shit that you don't want any part of."  
He walked away, leaving a confused, lost and hurt Jensen and an excited Milo who kept repeating that _He might have been a dad_ in his wake.

 

  
"I'm so sorry about what's happened" Paris said.  
"We should wait until the pregnancy is far enough along for DNA testing before we make a decision; the rest will be handled in family court."  
Jared nodded, his hands clenched tightly in his lap.  
"Of course, if the baby turns out not to be yours, we'll waive our fees" she added, but it was not like Jared actually cared about money right then.  
"What about the background checks you supposedly did on her?" he inquired, and Paris shrugged.  
"She passed them with flying colors. Come on, you were living with her and you didn't notice anything either."  
Jared sighed.  
Paris was right.  
"She fooled us, Jared. She fooled us all."  
"No" Jared said, hoarsely.  
"I fooled myself."

 

  
Jared booked a room in a hotel for Genevieve, where she was going to be able to stay until they had figured things out.  
He was not going to throw her out on the streets, but he really didn't feel like seeing her or talking to her.  
"So you're done with me now, is that it?" Genevieve snapped.  
"You don't need me anymore? I guess you can try to find some other lowlife you can use to give you the only thing you've ever wanted."  
Jared narrowed his eyes.  
"How dare you try to make me feel guilty" he hissed.  
"I'm not playing this game with you, forget it."  
Genevieve just glared back.  
"You know, you think you're better than me-"  
"I am _certain_ that I am better than you, actually" Jared interrupted her.  
Genevieve clenched her jaw.  
"Okay, we're being honest. Here you have it: I can have a baby and you can't, and that's driving you crazy."  
Jared slammed his fist down.  
"That's enough, get out of my car!"  
"You're such a sad man, Jared Padalecki" Genevieve murmured, before she obeyed.

 

  
The day of the trial arrived.  
"I take this is a paternity case?" the judge inquired.  
"Actually, it's a maternity case, Your Honor" Jensen's voice resounded in the courtroom, and Jared turned, surprised, at seeing the man entering with a briefcase.  
"Jared Padalecki hired Genevieve Cortese to be his surrogate, but now we're not sure who the baby belongs to."  
Jared blinked.  
"What are you doing here?"  
Jensen shrugged.  
"Genevieve called me" he replied.  
"Said you'd both need help, here."  
The judge frowned.  
"And you are..."  
"Jensen Ackles, Your Honor, formerly with the firm Kripke and Manner."  
"There's no need for a lawyer, we're just here to read some results" the judge pointed out.  
"Objection!" Milo exclaimed, slamming the door open.  
The judge rolled his eyes.  
"And who are _you_?" he asked, evidently frustrated.  
"Milo Ventimiglia, Your Highness, I'm here to seek joint custody of that fetus" Milo replied, with a little bow.  
"It's like all the worst possible surnames decided to meet today in my courtroom" the judge muttered to himself.  
"This tool used to be my husband, Your Honor" Genevieve explained.  
The judge sighed.  
"Fine, take a seat while I read the results."  
Genevieve stood up.  
"Can I make a statement?"  
The judge waved his hand, dismissively, and she turned towards Jared.  
"I'm sorry, Jay" she started, quietly.  
"I never should have listened to Milo, I should have done the right thing. I just-"  
She sighed.  
"This whole thing made you feel so happy, and made me feel so important, you know? I should have told you the truth, and I hope you'll forgive me someday if I didn't; I was just scared."  
Jared turned his head up, and finally looked at her.  
There was so much honesty and sincerity in her eyes that some of Jared's anger melted away.  
"I also want to thank you" Genevieve went on.  
"I didn't like it sometimes, but you made me grow up. I was just supposed to help you have a baby, but you ended up teaching me how to be a mother, instead. So thank you. And I'm sorry."  
Jensen stared at Genevieve, with something akin to awe on his face, and she offered him a small smile.  
"He'd be a great dad" she said.  
"Kid wouldn't get away with shit."  
Jensen chuckled.  
"Your Honor, what Ms. Cortese is trying to say is that what she did was wrong" he stated, standing up as well.  
"Extremely wrong, in fact, but that's how lies work: they're so easy to spin out of control. Milo lied to Genevieve, Genevieve lied to Jared, Jared lied to me..."  
He shook his head.  
"It was a mistake, that's all. And now everything's a mess. A real mess."  
"That's the worst closing argument I've ever heard" the judge replied, arching an eyebrow, and Jensen snorted.  
"I know, and I apologize, Your Honor, but I'm a little rusty" he said, before turning towards Jared.  
"I never wanted to come back into a courtroom ever again, Jay, but I came here for you" he murmured.  
Jared swallowed, and mouthed _thank you_.  
"I think we are more than ready for you to read the results, now" Jensen stated, sitting down.  
The judge opened the envelope.  
"The DNA test indicates that Jared Padalecki is not the father of this child" he read.  
Jared lowered his head, hiding his watery eyes behind his long bangs, and when Jensen's hand found his, he let him hold it.

 

  
"You okay to go home?" Jensen asked, meeting him right outside the courtroom.  
Jared shrugged.  
"Of course."  
They started walking in the same direction, silently, before Jared seemed to remember something.  
"I'd still like to meet your kid some time" he said, quietly, and Jensen nodded.  
"I'll give you a call, you can come by the store."  
Jared bit his lower lip.  
That was not the answer he expected.  
"Okay, I-I'll definitely come by" he answered, unable to hide the disappointment, but he realized that they'd have to start all over again, and built on different basis if they wanted it to work.  
"I'm sorry, Jay" Jensen murmured, leaning in, but Jared stopped him with two fingers on his mouth before their lips could meet.  
"I just threw up" he confessed, and Jensen snorted, kissing his forehead instead.  
As they walked away, Jensen found Jared's hand once more, and Jared thought that maybe, just maybe, things were going to be okay.  
  
END

 

**Author's Note:**

>  **Not Coming Down From:**[bed](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bed)  
>  **Clawed Chained Heart:** awake  
>  **Under The Spell Of:** Paolo Meneguzzi "Ricordati che"


End file.
